f being the first to cross its frontier, marched
to the bridge of Kowno, to close that outlet upon Ney, and completely
cut off his retreat.

Ney, though abandoned by all, neither gave himself up nor his post.
After vain efforts to detain these fugitives, he collected their
muskets, which were still loaded, became once more a common soldier,
and, with only four others, kept facing thousands of the enemy. His
audacity stopped them; it made some of his artillerymen, too, ashamed,
and they imitated their marshal: besides it gave time to his aid-de-camp
and to General Gerard, to collect thirty soldiers, and to Generals Ledru
and Marchand to collect the only battalion which remained.

But at that moment a second attack of the Russians commenced on the
other side of the Niemen, and near the bridge of Kowno: it was then half
past two o'clock. Ney sent Ledru, Marchand, and their four hundred men
forward to retake and secure that passage. As for himself, without
giving way, or disquieting himself farther as to what was passing in his
rear, he kept on fighting at the head of his thirty men, and maintained
himself until night at the Wilna gate. He then traversed the town and
crossed the Niemen, constantly fighting, retreating, but never flying,
marching after all the others, supporting to the last moment the honor
of our arms, and for the hundredth time during the last forty days and
forty nights, putting his life and liberty in jeopardy to save a few
more Frenchmen. Finally, he was the last of the Grand Army that quitted
that fatal Russia, showing to the world how courage battles with ill
fortune, and proving that with heroes even the greatest disasters turn
to glory.[180]

General Dumas was seated in the French headquarters on the Prussian side
of the Niemen when a man entered wrapped in a long cloak. His face was
blackened with gunpowder, his hair singed with fire. "At last," said he,
"I am here." "But who are you?" asked General Dumas in astonishment. "I
am the rear guard of the Grand Army--I am Marshal Ney. I have fired the
last shot on the bridge of Kowno, I have thrown my musket into the
river, and I have walked here across the forest."

Napoleon had entered Russia with an army of over six hundred thousand
men. Not more than eighty thousand recrossed the Niemen, and many of
them did not live to reach their homes.[181]

Thus ended the Russian campaign. Thus did the star of the North triumph
over that of Napoleon.

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